Meat tenderer



Nov 22, 192 7.

J. P. SPANG MEAT TENDERER heats-sheet 1 original Filed March 25. 1926lnvenor.

Ays.

Nav., 22, 1927. '1,649,991

J. P. SPANG MEAT TENDERER original Filed Maron 25, 192e 4 sheets-sheet 2Fig@ f lnvenTor. Joseph Spcmg @lm/dwarf AHys'.

Nov. 22, 1927. 1,649,991 J. P. sPANG MEAT TENDERBR Original Filed March25. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig-4. 9

. lnvenTor.

Joseph F? Spong Anys.

Nov. 22, 192.7. J. P. SPANG MEAT TENDERER,

Original Filed March 25. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lnvenov. L JOSeph Spung.byw Mkf Patented Nov. 22, 1927.-

UNITED STATES JOSEPH P. SPANG, F QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEAT TENDERER.

Application led March 25, 1926, Serial No. 97,151. Renewed Hay 25, 1927.

This invention relates to a meat-tendering device of the type comprisinga plurality of rotary knives, a bed reciprocating beneath the knives onwhich the meat to be tendered is supported and means for movmg the bedbeneath the knives as they are rotated thereby to cause the knives tocut slits in the meat.

One of the objects `of the invention 1s to provide a device of this typewlth means fo':

automatically turning the bed at the end of its reeiprocation so thatupon successive passes of the meat beneath the knives slits will be cutin the meat in differenty dlrections. I

In a device embodying the mvention a combined clamping member andstrlpper plate is employed which yieldlngly holds the meat against thebed and another object of niv invention is to provide an improved meansfor automatically releasing the clamping pressure of the combinedclamping member and stripper plate when the meat 1s turned at the end ofthe stroke.

Another object of the invention 1s t o pro- 5 vide a novel constructionwhich permits the ready removal of the knives for cleaning purposes.

Another object of the invention 'as to provide an improved machine whichcan be used for slicing vegetables as well as for tendering or slicingmeat.

Other objects of the inventlon are to pro vide various improvements inmeat-tendering devices all as will be more fully h eremafter set forthand then pointed out 1n the appended claims. n

lIn the drawings wherein I have illustrated some selected embodiments ofmy invention, Fig. 1 is a side view of a device made in accordance withthe inventlon;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the frame showing theconstruction which permits of the ready removalof the knives;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the bed, meatsupporting table and combinedclamping and locking member in plan, sald View showing the frame insection.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the table;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the button device for lockingthe combined clamping member and stripping plate in po sition;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspectlve 1llus trating the means foroperating the button 42 to move it into operative position;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a differentembodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but illustrating a device as'adaptedfor slicing vegetables rather than slicing meat;

Fig. 11 is a view of the turntable used in slicing vegetables.

In the drawings 1 indicates the frame of the meat tenderer which isformed with ways 2 in which is slidably mounted a bed plate 3. Supportedon the bed plate is a table 4 on which the meat 5 to be treated issupported. This table 4 is turnable on the bed so that the same piece ofmeat may be presented differently to the knives. For this purpose thetable is provided with a central spindle 6 which is received in a recessin the bed and forms a pivot about Awhich the table may be' turned. Thetop surface of the table is preferably provided with annular grooves 7to assist in holding the meat 5 firmly in place.

Situated above the bed are a plurality 'of rotary knives 8, said knivesbeing rigidly secured on a knife shaft 9. The knife shaft is journalledin the frame and so positioned that the upper surface of the table 4 issit-y uated just below the lower edge of the knives so that when a sliceof meat 5 is placed on the table and the bed is reciprocated the kniveswill slit the meat but will not cut clear through. Means are providedfor rotating the knives and also for simultaneously reeiprocating thebed 3, and the means by which the knives are rotated are constructed soas to permit them to be readily removed from the frame when it isnecessary to clean them.

As herein shown the end 10 of the knife shaft 9 is squared and fits intoan axial recess formed in a pinion 11 which is journalled in the frame.This pinion in turn meshes with a gear 12 mounted on a shaft 13 that isjournalled in the frame, said shaft having a gear 14 fast thereon whichmeshes with a rack 15 on the under side of the bed. The knife shaft 9 isalso provided with a crank handle 160 by which it may be rotated andwith this construction the turning of the crank handle 160 will rotatethe knives and will operate through the gears 11, 12, 14 and 15 to movethe bed 3 in its ways 2.

The frame 4 is formed with two upstanding extensions 16 and 17. The gear11 is shownl as having on. one side a hub 18 which finds a bearing inthe upright 16 and on the other side it has a hub 19 that finds bearingin a cover plate 2Q which encloses the gears'll and 12 and is secured tothe frame by suitable screws 21. The shaft 13 also finds its bearing inthe side of the frame and the cover plate 20.

The upright extension 17 has an opening 23 in which is received amovable bearing member 22 in disk form, said bearing member constitutinga bearing for the crank handle end of the knife shaft 9. The bearingldisk 22 is removably retained in the opening 23'for the purpose ofpermitting the knives to be readily removed as will be presentlydescribed.

v The meat 5is retained in place on the table 4 by a combined clampingmember and stripping'plate indicated generally at 24. l This' clampingand stripping member comprises a. frame having the two sides 25, whichare connected by the end pieces y26, 27 and a plurality of stripperandclampinggbars 28- which extend between the end pieces26, 27 and aresecured thereto. The side members 2'5-of the frame are bent downwardlyat their rear ends as shown at 29 and the clamping bars 28 have asimilar shape, they being curved lor bent downwardly at their rear endas shown at 30. The front ends o f the bars 28 rest against the under.side of the cross ieee 26 and are secured thereto by a clampingv strip31 which is screwed or otherl wise fastened to the frame and whichextends underneath the ends of the strips 2 8. At the rear end eachmember 28 is bent backwardly as shown at 32 to form a finger whichunderlies the cross piece 27, said iingers 32 being clamped to the underside of the cross piece by a clamping strip 33.

' With this construction there will be formed a plurality of slits 34between the individual bars or strips 28 and these slits 34 are ofproper dimension to receive the knives 8. At the rear end of theclamping member is provided with two forked arms 35, the forks of whichengage in grooves 36' formed in two retaining pins 37 that lextendthrough the bed 3 and are movable vertically therein. The lower end ofeach retaining pin 37 has a collar 38 thereon and a spring 39 encircleseach retaining pin and is inserted' between about its axis so-as toplace thebutton-either in its operative position in which it overliesone of the arms `of the fork 40 as shown in Fig. 7, (this being theoperative locking position of the locking member) or in' osition inalignment with the opening 45 etween the arms of the fork as shown bydotted lines Fig.7,v (this being the inoperative `or 11nlocked positionvof the button). Each locking pin is also acted on by a spring 44 whichco-operates with the springs 39 to hold'the combinedstripper plate andlocking member yieldingly against the meat 5 as will be presentl setforth. With this construction the com ined clam ing member or stripper-plate can be readi y removed and replaced in position. y

When a Aieee of meat 5 is to be slit the bed 3 will e moved forward intothe position shown in Fig. 1 and then a piece of meat may be placed onthe table 4. The

lso

combined clamping member and stripper plate is then put in position theforked arms ffirst being engaged with the recesses land then the frontend of the stripper plate being'swung downwardly into contact with themeat. At this time the buttons 42 are turned into the dotted lineposition so that the forked arms y40 may pass down over the buttons, thelatter passing up between the arms of the forks. The locking members 41are then turned to bring the button into its locking position shown infull lines Fig. 7 and when in this position the springsy 44, 39 willhold the combined stripper and clamping' member yieldingly against thework. The purpose of making the clamp-- wardly curved ends 29, 30 is soas to bring the rear cross bar 27 below thel knives 8. This permitsthe-button and table tobe moved forwardly into the position shown in lngand stripper member with the downy Fig. 1 and'in position in whichtheknives will not interfere with the removal of` the clamping andstripper member or its replacement in the machine. The combined clampingand stripper member may be removed as Will be obvious by simply bringingthe table yinto the positionshown in F ig. 1 and then turningthe lockingmember 41 into unlock-V ing position-` afterl which said combinedclamping andfstripper member lmay .be taken out ,of-'themachine y iInthe present invention means are provided whereby the'table4 is turnedat each end of the travel of the bed 3 and in order. vto permit the'vfree yturning of thetable means v are provided for I raising the.combined clamping and stripper member when the bed reaches each-.endofits stroke thereby to lift said. clamping member off from the meat.-

-llll Various means maybeprovided for thus 1 lifting the clampingmember.

In Figs. 1 and 4 the frame is provided with vraised tracks 46 having camapproaches 47 thereon."

As the bed plate 3 approaches the limit of its travel in eitherdirection the lower ends of the pins 37, 4l ride up the inclines-47 ontothe raised tracks 46 thus positively raising the combined clamping andstripping member from contact with meat as shown by dotted lines Fig. 4.

I have also provided means for automatically unlocking the lockingmembers 41 at each end of the travel of the bed and for locking saidmembers again after the table has been turned and when the bed has itsinitial movement. For this purpose each pin 41 is provided at its lowerend with two arms 67, 68 situated at right angles to each other. Thesearms co-operateU with a stationaryl pin 69 carried by the frame.Assuming for instance, that the full line position of the arms 67, 68 inFig. 8 corresponds to the full line position of the locking button 42 inFig. 7 it will be seen that as the bed moves to the right from the fullto the dotted line position F ig; 8 the arm 68 will engage the pin 69and this engagement will turn the locking pin 4l through 90 thusreleasing the button 42 from locking engagement with the arm 40." Whenthe locking member 4l reaches the dotted line position Fig. 8 the arms67, 68 will have the position shown in dotted lines, this being a.position corresponding to the end of the stroke. As the bed starts inthe reverse direction or toward the left, Fig. 8, the arm 67 will engagethe pin 69 and will restore the parts to the full line position asthepin 41 passes the pin 69 thus automatically bringing the locking button42 into locking en gagement with the arm 40.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated a different embodiment of the inventionwherein instead of securing a separation of the combined clamping andstripping member from the meat by raising said clamping and strippingmember this separation is secured by depressing the table 4. In thisembodiment the table 4 has a pivot pin or shaft 60 fast thereto Whichextends entirely through the bed 3 and which is adapted to rest and tiavel on a track 61 formed on the frame. This track is so arranged thatwhen the table 4 is passing beneath the knives 8 the table Will beraised from the bed 3 as shown in Fig. 9. As the bed 3 approaches eitherend of the limit of its movement the pivot pin 6 will pass off from thetrack 61 and the table will then gravitate onto the bed 3, such downwardmovement of the table separating the meat from the combined clamping andstripper member. At each end of the track 61 is an incline approach 62so that as the bed begins its initial movement in either direction thepin 60 rides up one of the approaches 62 onto the track 61 thuselevating the table and bringing the meat into firm clamping engagementwith the combined clamping and stripper plate. In this embodiment theretaining and locking pins need not be yieldingly mounted. In Fig. 9 theretaining pins at the rear end of the combined clamping and strippingmember are indicated at 63, they being in the form of posts which arerigidly secured to the bed 3.' Each retaining pin has a plurality ofgrooves 64 therein into anyone of which the forked arms 35 may beplaced. At the front the locking pins are indicated at 65, each beingsecure to the 'bed 3 but turnable therein.

Each locking pin is provided with a plurality of arms 66, said armsbeing spaced apart a distance equal to at least the thickness ofthe-forked arms 40. With this arrangement the combined clamping andstripping member 24 may be secured to the retaining and locking pins atdifferent vertical positions depending upon the thickness of the meat 5which is to be treated.

For turning the table 4 at each end of the stroke the latter is formedwith a pin 48 depending therefrom and operating in an arcuate slot 49formed in the bed 3. rlhis pin is adapted to engage either one of twostrikers 50, 5l, one situated at each end of the frame. The arrangementis such that the piu 48 will engage a striker' just before the bedreaches the limit of its movement in either direction. The further orfinal movement of the bed after the pin his engaged the striker willcause the table to turn. The arrangen'ient herein shownis such that thetable will make a quarter turn.

lVith this arrangement, therefore, the table will be automaticallyturned through at each end of the travel of the bed and during theturning movement the combined stripper and clamp plate will be separatedfrom the meat.

I have referred above vto the knives 8 being removable. 'l`o remove theknives the bed plate will be carried to its forward limit as shown inFig. 1 and the combined stripper and clamping member may then be removedafter which the bearing member 22 will be removed from the opening 23and the gang of knives on the knife shaft withdrawn through said opening23, vthe latter being big enough to permit the knives to passtherethrough. lVhen the knives are thus removed the squared end 10 ofthe knife shaft is merely withdrawn from the gear 11. The knives may bereplaced by inserting them" through the opening 23, entering the squaredend l0 ot' the shaft 9 into the socket of the gear 11 and then replacingthe bearing member 22 in the opening 23. It will be linderstood, ofcourse, that the bearing member 22 remains on the knife shaft when theknives are removed.

For holding the bearing member 22 in place I have formed the wall of theopening 23 with a groove 52 having two openings 53 leading thereto. Thebearing member 21. is provided with two radially-extendlng pms 'l A, 54adapted to enter the groove 52 through the openings 53. After the pinshave thus been entered intov the groove the bearing member may be turnedtoA carry the pins out of alignment with the openings 58. l If desired,the bearing member 22 may be locked from turning movement by two lockingpins rather than cutting meat. To convert the device for slicingvegetables into a vegetable Slicer it is only necessary to removethe'table 4 and replace it with a table 70 of special construction. Thetable T0 is provided With the central pivot pin 7l by which said tableis pivotally mounted onthe bed 3 and it is provided with a plurality ofpms 72 rising therefrom around its periphery, these pins being for thepurpose of retaining the vegetables 73 on the table during the slicingoperation. The table is provided with grooves 74 extending diametricallythereacross in one direction and other grooves 75 extendingdiametrically thereacross in an opposite '(lirection. In a vegetableslicer the tables and knives have su'ch a relative arrangement that theknives Will eut clear through the vegetables 3, therperiphery of theknives travelling in the slots 74, 7 5. The pins 72 will be spaced sothat theywill pass between the-knives duringl the slicing operationf Thetable 7 0 is provided-With the depend-` ing pin 48 by which the table isturned at each end of the stroke and the purpose of having two sets ofgrooves k74, 75 is 'that' there will be one setin operative bothpositions of the turntable.

I claimposition Vin 1. In a meat-tendering device, the vcombi-A nationwith a plurality of rotary knives, of

a meat-supporting table mountedvforreciprocation beneath the knives,meansl to rotate the knives and reciprocate the .table simultaneously,and means to turn the table automatically at the end of thereciprocatory movement thereof. y

2. In a meat-tendering device, the combination With a plurality ofrotary"knives,of

a meat-supporting table mounted forreV ciprocation beneath the knives,means -to rotate'the knives and reciprocate the table simultaneously,and means actuated by the reciprocating movement ofthe table lto turnthe latter at the end of the reciprocation. v1

3. Ina device of the class described, they combination With a pluralityyof rotary knives, of a bed situated to support meat holding'the meatwhile to be tendered, means to rotate the knives and simultaneously movethe bed longitudinally thereby to pass the meat beneath the knives, andmeans for automatically turning the meat after it has been acted on bythe knives.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof rotary knives, of a bed situated to support meat to be tendered,means to rotate the knives and simultaneously move the bedlongitudinally mounted on the bed, means to rotate the. knives andsimultaneously reciprocate the bed beneath the knives, and means forautomatically turning the table on the bed at each end of thereciprocatory movement of thel latter.

6. In a meat tenderer, the combination with a plurality of rotaryknives, of a bed mounted for reciprocation beneath the knives, means forrotating the knives and simultaneously reciprocating the bed, ameatsupporting table mounted on the bed and vadapted t-o turn thereon,said bed having a slot, a pin depending fromthe bed through said slot,and strikers with which the pin yengages at each end of t-hereciprocatingl movement of the bed thereby to turn the table on the bed.

-7. In a meat tenderer, the combinationy ico movement to cause theknives to slit the l meat, means for releasing the clamping pressure ofthe stripping plate at theend of such relativemovement, and means-forturning the meat.

e .8.. In a meat tenderer, the ,combination with a pluralit of rotaryknives, of a reciprocating be beneath the knivesand onl Whic meat; tobe.tendered is supported, a

combined clamping and stripper member for knives, means to rotate theknives vand `simultaneously reciprocate the bed, means to release theclamping pressureof the clamp- 9. In a meat tenderer, the combination`ivith a plurality of rotary knives, of a bed for supporting the meat tobe tendered,

means to rotate Jthe knives and simultane-v acted on by the ouslyreciprocate the bed beneath the knives, a clamping member for clampingthe meat in position on the bed, means operated by the movement of thebed to release the clamping member at the end of the reciprocatorymovement and turn the meat.

10. In a device of the class described, the

vcombination with a plurality of rotary knives of a bed mounted forreciprocation beneatll the knives, a table mounted on the bed forturning movement, means for rotating the knives and simultaneouslyreciprocating the bed, and means actuated by the movement of the bed toturn the table on 1l the bed at the end of the reciprocation.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof rotary knives, of a reciprocating bed'beneatll the knives, a table onthe bed adapted to have turning movement thereon, a clamping member forclampingthe material to be slit to the table, means for rotating theknives and simultaneously reciprocating the bed, means operative at theend of the reciprocation to relieve the clamping pressure of the lampingmember and turn the table on the In testimony whereof, I have signed myname to this specification.

JOSEPH P. SPANG.

